That’s right, we make Foria, a marijuana-infused lubricant designed for female pleasure.

The record-scratch moment was followed, as it usually is, by a fascinating conversation about pleasure, health and culture that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Even more game-changing than these dinner party conversations are the follow-up conversations I get to have with the women who have experienced the product for themselves.

Foria has been out in California for six months and will be coming soon to Colorado and Washington. Working with the company from the start, I’ve had intimate conversations with women who have used Foria to enhance a variety of aspects of their own sexuality. Their experiences with Foria are powerful and unique.

They range from deeper and more accessible orgasms to women who experience better sleep and freedom from pain during intercourse. Some women have joyfully announced a rekindled chemistry with a long-term partner and others have explored new depths in self-pleasuring. These stories continue to be the inspiration for my work—and the conversations themselves turn out to be quite a social aphrodisiac.

Hear women talk about their experiences using Foria’s cannabis lube for the first time:

Foria has clearly struck a nerve nationally; conversations about cannabis and female pleasure are hitting the mainstream media from Cosmo and GQ to Vice and MSNBC.

The need for a product like Foria has never been clearer. More than 50 percent of women in the U.S. report struggling with sexual function or desire. But while there are currently 24 FDA-approved treatments to address male sexual function, there are zero for women. For more info check the sexual equality advocacy nonprofit Even The Score. This “pleasure gap” begs the larger question: why is there so much attention on male sexual health and so little on female? Foria has taken the first step toward bridging the gap by developing a natural, holistic option focused on enhancing female sexual experience.

Foria’s blend of cannabis and liquid coconut oil is based on current scientific research into the therapeutic benefits of marijuana as well as the long history of cannabis’ use in traditional medicine for physical, spiritual and sexual wellness. Cannabis is known to promote relaxation and blood flow and also to affect the receptors in the brain responsible for tactile sensation and euphoria—which sounds to me like a recipe for orgasm.

The oldest evidence of marijuana cultivation dates back over three thousand years and cultures around the world have long made the connection between cannabis and sexuality. According to Hindu legend, cannabis was a gift from the goddess Parvati to Shiva. After experiencing divine orgasm, Shiva chose to share the plant with humanity, that we might experience the consciousness-expanding benefits of sexual pleasure. In Norse legend, the busty goddess Freja is depicted with handfuls of hemp as she presides over springtime fertility rites.

The common thread that has emerged from the many experiences of women who have used Foria is that it enhances their ability to be fully present with their own experience. This kind of deep connection with sensations, whatever they may be, is the key to cultivating mindful sexuality. And it opens the door to enjoying the benefits of sexual pleasure as they affect our personal wellbeing, our loved ones and our communities. Our ancestors just may have been onto something.

The inspiration for Foria’s creation comes from the belief that healthy, pleasurable sex is a vital part of holistic wellness. We are excited to introduce Foria to the Elephant Journal community and to hear your thoughts on the relationship between pleasure, sexuality and the path of mindfulness. How do you cultivate these connections? How does our culture inhibit them? Are you experiencing the pleasure you desire? What allows you deeper access to it and what holds you back? How does the pleasure within you act as a force for positive transformation in our community?

Join the conversation and share your thoughts on pleasure, wellness and the path to orgasm with anna@foriapleausure.com.